Heartbeat by Sharon Creech
Annie loves running, and drawing. Annie's best friend Max thinks she is spoilt because she has two parents and a grandfather. Max is in a bad mood. Annie's mother is having another baby and Annie's grandfather is getting old and forgetting a lot. There is a lot going on in Annie's life and, in this enchanting book, Sharon explores how a twelve-year-old girl comes to terms with her familial and chosen relationships, how she uses her love of running and drawing to find herself, and how she grows up and learns to understand quite a bit more about the world around her. Welcome to the world of a new and wonderful Sharon Creech novel, filled with hope and joy and optimism. Sharon writes brilliantly for young readers.